By Your Side
by Mrs Caulfield
Summary: It has been eight years since they last saw each other, but the events that occurred could never be able to take away what they once had. Reunion fic. One shot


**Um, so this one shot came out way longer than I intended it to be, but I really hope you'd bear with it! This is my first fanfic, so please try to be gentle =) Thank you!**

**Narumayo is my OTP btw.**

* * *

Trucy can read it all in his eyes.

Those moments when he thinks he's being cryptic. All the times he plastered a smile on his face but it never quite reached his eyes. Those times when he thought she couldn't see him—he always looked so _lonely._

Trucy Wright can read everything in her father's eyes: all the pain he tries to hide, the weariness that so often brought down his whole posture. At first she attributed it to the stress that the whole Kristoph Gavin plot caused them, but that was all behind them now. It has been eight months since Kristoph Gavin was sent to prison and five since her father's name has been completely cleared of all doubt. Lately, her father's been smiling a lot more frequently and for that, she was grateful. But she still couldn't get past those brief flashes of sadness crossing his features when he thinks nobody's watching. She'd very much like to know the cause of those.

Still, she did her best in cheering him up. He told her once that she was the light that guided him in the darkness and ever since then, she took it upon herself to make him happy no matter what the cost. She would perform her silly magic tricks in front of him and even have Mr. Hat make a few funny jokes. He would clap his hands and smile earnestly, the glimmer of joy undeniable in his eyes. That was the look that Trucy wanted to see on him all the time.

But sometimes, that wasn't enough. Not even her tricks could take away the fleeting moments of pain and sadness in his heart. Her father never told him of any of this, but she knew. She knew that deep inside his heart was a hole that not even she could fill. He tries his best to hide it, makes sure that no one would notice. But Trucy loves her father very deeply and she notices everything about him.

It had been an uneventful day at the Wright Anything Agency when Trucy chose to confront him about it. Apollo had gone out to get some grocery shopping done. Phoenix was making his way over to the couch, a bowl of cereal on his right hand, as he swept away some of Trucy's magical trinkets with his left before settling into the seat. He perched his legs on the coffee table and sighed. Trucy cleared her throat. "Daddy?"

Phoenix shoved a spoonful of cereal in his mouth, chewed and swallowed. "Yeah, Trucy?"

"Have you ever had a girlfriend?" Phoenix choked on his cereal and started sputtering. Trucy couldn't help but giggle at the silly sight.

"Hey, what brought this on?" Phoenix asked as he took the tissue that Trucy held out to him and wiped at his mouth.

"Well, I think I have the right to know my father's dating history," she said, beaming.

Phoenix let out a small laugh. "Well, there's not much to know, really. I don't date much."

"Don't lie to me!" she said somewhat fiercely. "There has to be someone,"

Phoenix laughed once again. "Sorry to disappoint you, sweetie, but there really isn't anyone. Well, except for this one girl I dated back in college—but lord knows that didn't end so well." Trucy saw her father cringe visibly. _Note to self: Force Polly to do more research on this later._

Trucy knew that he was lying—or at least, not telling the entire truth. She can sense it. And although Phoenix had gotten better at hiding things from her over the years, the tiny tingle she felt told her that this was one topic he can never keep from her.

"What about—" she began, bouncing on her heels and toes, "What about that picture of the girl on your bedside drawer?" _This is it. I caught him now._

"What about her?" Phoenix mused, waving his spoon dismissively in the air. "She was just my assistant back in my lawyer days."

Trucy should have known that Phoenix would be harder to crack, but she was not about to let this go.

"What's her name?" she asked innocently.

Phoenix's face began to soften. He put his spoon back in the bowl and began stirring mindlessly at its contents. "Maya Fey," he said slowly.

_I got you now, _Trucy thought smugly.

She made her way over to the couch and sat next to him. "She wasn't just an assistant for you, daddy."

He looked over at her skeptically. "And why do you say that?"

"Well," Trucy looked up at the ceiling, held out her right hand and began ticking off her fingers. "First: I know for a fact that she had been your best friend. I've had numerous sources confirm that." _Or rather,_ _I made sure Polly did some research on that._ The smug smile was back on her face as she stared at her father's incredulous expression. "Second: That nine-shaped thingy she has on her neck in the picture. It's the same as the one you keep inside your pockets."

"Trucy, how can you possibly—"

"Daddy, I'm talking." She cut him off as sweetly as she could. "And third: If she _was_ just some assistant to you, then what would her picture be doing on your drawer, in your bedroom, in your home eight years since you last saw her?"

Phoenix stared at her, mouth agape. "I—"

"Daddy, I'm not doing this to torture you. I just really want to know what's so special about this girl!"

"I know, Trucy, but why?"

Trucy took in a deep breath. "I, um… I see the way you look sometimes—when you think I can't see you. You always look sad—like, like you miss someone. I think about it all the time and it really bothers me! I had to do some snooping around…" her voice trailed off as she stared at the floor.

"Trucy, look at me." She obeyed. "Maya was… she was someone special and very dear to me. But it's been eight years! It's highly unlikely that I will see her again."

"What? There are tons of ways you can see her again! I mean, unless she's dead… Oh, wait. She's a spirit medium, right? Daddy, you can still see her _even if she's dead!" _She grabbed her father's shoulders and shook them wildly. _"What could possibly be keeping you from seeing her?"_

"St-stop shaking me!" Phoenix yelled and Trucy let go, her face all but apologetic. "How did you even know she was a spirit medium?!"

Trucy let out a laugh and a huge smile. "Polly told me!"

"I'm going to kill that kid."

"Daddy, don't be so harsh on him! I asked him to," she admitted sheepishly.

Phoenix could only shake his head in amusement. "Look, Trucy, me and Maya meeting—it's a bit more complicated than that, alright? Doing anymore research about my past will just be a waste of time, so I would appreciate it if you would stop."

"Do you miss her, daddy?" she asked, completely disregarding his last statement.

Phoenix stared at the bowl in his hand as if it were the most fascinating object on earth. His face, now completely devoid of its usual mask, reflected the loneliness in his eyes.

"With all my heart, Trucy."

—

Pearl can read it all in every move she made.

How she never smiled the way she used to. How her walk wasn't as bouncy as it had once been. How her personality changed so drastically that she was almost sure that this soft-spoken, demure woman was a completely different person from the girl she knew when she was eight.

Mystic—no,_ Master_ Maya became a different girl the day she left Wright & Co. Law Offices _(now known as Wright Anything Agency, according to the last newspaper she read)_. She'd matured greatly since she'd taken over her role as Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique. Don't get it wrong, Master Maya is still free-spirited and kind at heart and Pearl still loved her greatly. But there were times when she just missed the old Maya—the one who practically bounced off the walls each time a new Steel Samurai episode would come out, who would eat all the burgers she could until her several stomachs were satiated, and the one who would always believe in _him_ and made_ him _smile even under the most ridiculous circumstances.

Pearl let out a small smile at the thought of the spiky-haired ex-lawyer. Her memories of him were somewhat foggy, but not enough to alter the way she viewed him. He was still the brave attorney who never faltered under the most threatening opponents. This was still her stand even after news of his disbarment came out. _I always knew he would never be one to forge evidence, and now it's been proven. _Pearl let herself smile fully now. _I wonder if he has any plans of becoming a lawyer again?_

The basket of flowers that she was holding swung freely along with the strides that she made. Upon reaching the door to the Master's room at the end of the hallway, she brought up a hand and knocked.

"Master Maya," she called out. "I brought the flowers you needed for the channeling session. May I come in?"

There was no response from the other side of the door. "Master Maya?" she knocked once again. "Are you alright?"

"Just leave them there, Pearly." Maya's voice came out, wrecked with sobs.

Pearl snapped to attention immediately. _Master Maya is crying? _"I'm coming in!" she said, her voice full of determination. She swung the door open before Maya could protest. She found the Master curled up on the floor, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Master Maya!" Pearl closed the door quickly and knelt down beside her. "Are you hurt? What's wrong?"

"I-I'm fine, Pearly. I told you to leave." Maya's voice lacked the authority that was usually present.

"I can't leave you here like this! Tell me what's wrong!" Pearl stared hard at the Master and rubbed soothing circles at her back. "Please stop crying…"

The Master shook her head and sat up. "Pearly, this is nothing. Really!" She tried to smile and wiped a hand at her cheeks. "I'm just being silly again." She clenched her fists and looked down.

Pearl took a look at the forlorn spirit medium in front of her. Never had she seen such an expression take over her face. Her eyes were bloodshot, wrought with tears that were threatening to roll down. Her nose was tinged pink and her lips quivering as she tried to breathe calmly. Unfortunately, she had reached the point where breathing became an effort. She struggled to inhale normally through her mouth, her breath not quite catching up to her.

Sometimes, Pearl would see her break down like this. It didn't happen a lot, just once—occasionally twice—a year since she'd left Wright & Co. She would cry to herself in her room and Pearl would always catch her. Pearl would soothe her as she tried her best to explain what had brought her down.

But none of her breakdowns had ever been as bad as this one, and that was why Pearl felt the overwhelming urge to panic once she saw the Master weeping on the floor. This time, she couldn't even bring herself to tell Pearl what was wrong.

_She's pushing me away_, thought Pearl sadly.

It was only then that Pearl noticed a ball of paper crumpled up inside one of Maya's hands. When Pearl reached out to it, Maya retracted immediately.

"Master Maya, you know you don't have to hide anything from me." She looked into the Master's eyes. "Please. I need to know what's wrong."

Maya was silent for a few moments, mulling it over her head whether or not to show Pearl what was in her hand. This proved to be quite a challenging decision to make since she never liked exposing herself to anyone like this. But this was Pearly and she wasn't just anyone. With sharp intake of air, she unclenched her hand and let the paper fall to the floor. Sobs wrecked her entire body as she started crying once again, her hands coming up to hide her face.

Pearl picked up the ball of paper, smoothening it out on her lap until the contents were made readable. It was a single page ripped out from a newspaper. It contained a headline and a huge picture to match. Pearl didn't need to read its contents to know what it was about, she was quite familiar with the article already.

**FRAUDULENT ATTORNEY CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES; KRISTOPH GAVIN: GUILTY**

The people in the picture were ones she didn't exactly recognize, though one of them struck out as remarkably familiar. The man wore a sweatshirt and a beanie on his head and the monochromatic tone of the paper did nothing to disguise the growing stubble that surrounded his lips and jaw. In the picture, he had his arms around two people: his adopted daughter and an attorney whom Pearl never saw before. Their names were written at the bottom of the picture. _He looks so different, _was what Pearl thought when she first saw it. _But his eyes. They're still the same. Exactly the same._

"Oh, Maya!" she exclaimed, forgetting all courtesies and gathering the sobbing Master in her arms. "Don't be sad! Please, stop crying."

Maya hugged back, smiling. "Pearly, I'm not sad," she said softly. "I'm really happy for him."

Pearl pulled back and looked her cousin in the eye. "But you miss him."

Maya's lower lip jutted out as she nodded slowly. Then, she frowned. "This paper was from five months ago."

Pearl nodded. "I know."

"You _knew?!_" Maya's frown became outrageous. "Pearly, how come you didn't tell me?!"

Pearl flinched at the sharpness in her voice. Maya, taking note of this, softened her expression.

"You-you've been so busy, Master Maya. I barely even get to talk to you about anything anymore!" Tears began to pool in her eyes and Pearl cursed herself for being so emotional. "I miss you."

"P-Pearl…" Maya trailed off, shocked. "Why?"

"Master Maya, you haven't taken a vacation from your Master's duties in _eight years!_ You barely even have time for me anymore… not even for yourself."

The Master flinched at her accusation, knowing full well that it was true. She sighed and put her hands on Pearl's shoulders.

"I-I'm sorry. But when I made my decision to become Master of Kurain, I accepted that my duties will always come first." She tried to summon all the authority in her voice, but it still came out somewhat shaky. "Please understand that."

"That's not true!" Pearl was shocked at the sharpness of her tone. "I _know_ you, Master Maya. You're using your duties to distract you from the fact that you miss him! You miss the cases and investigating and being in court and attending trials and… and…" Pearl looked at distraught look on Maya's face. "You miss _being with him._ Phoenix and Maya. Just as it should be."

"Alright, Pearly, you're right!" Maya plopped herself back down on the floor and brought an arm to cover her face. "But it's been eight years… Why do I still miss him?"

Pearl sighed and gave her cousin a soft smile. "Because you still love him, silly."

Maya didn't even try to protest her on that one. "He's probably moved on now. I mean, he defeated Gavin and is on his way to get his badge back. He even has a daughter now!" Maya's eyes began to water once again. "He doesn't need me."

"Snap out of it!" Pearl yelled and brought a hand up to slap her cousin's cheek. Maya could only stare back at her in shock. "Mr. Nick loved you and he always will! Or did you really think that you two being a couple was just a silly childish dream of mine?"

"You mean it wasn't?"

"No! You two are meant to be!" Pearl put her hands on her face, peeking out of her fingers the way she used to when she was a child. "He's your special someone."

"Pearly, not this again…"

"I'm having none of it, Master Maya! You're coming with me." She gabbed the Master's hand as she led her out of the room.

"Pearly, where are we going?"

"To the Elders Hall!" Pearl said, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. "You're going to send in your Leave of Absence."

"What?!" Maya said, recoiling immediately, "I can't do that! Pearly, I have duties!"

Pearl stopped running and turned to face the Master. "After eight years of working without a single vacation, do you really think they could deny you at this point?"

Maya looked stubbornly at Pearl and crossed her arms over her chest. Pearl smiled, noticing that she was starting to resemble her old self. "I don't _need _a vacation!"

"Of course you do!" Pearl laughed, taking her cousin's hand once again and leading them to the Elders Hall. "Can't keep Mr. Nick waiting, now can you?"

"Wait, _WHAT?!_"

—

Maya Fey never thought she'd ever be back at the Wright & Co. Law Offices, but here she was, making her way to the front door with her cousin Pearl following close behind. Her mind was reeling with extreme anxiousness and it showed in the way her knees shook as she walked.

After seeking the Elders' permission, they told her that they aren't too keen on letting her associate with a disbarred attorney. Pearl then held up the crumpled newspaper article that contradicted their statement. It didn't sway the Elders very much, but they were grateful that their Master finally decided to take a break from her duties. They were starting to worry about her after all, so they approved somewhat begrudgingly.

When Maya had finished packing, she called out to Pearl and asked if she was ready to go. Pearl took one look at her and shook her head. "There's no way I'm letting you meet Mr. Nick in _that_."

Maya looked down at her dark crimson Master's robes. "What's wrong with this? I always used to hang out with Nick in just my acolyte's uniform."

"Master Maya, you are about to meet the love of your life!" She said loudly, smiling. "You have to look your best. Come on, I'll help." Maya rolled her eyes and resigned herself to her cousin's plan. _Whatever makes her happy_, she sighed.

Pearl had dressed her up in a pale yellow off-shoulder sundress that apparently complimented the color of her skin. She then put Maya's hair up in a bun and let a few loose strands frame her face. Maya took one last look at herself in the mirror before leaving, noticing just now the effects of having overworked herself the past several years. Lines were beginning to form on her forehead and her cheeks. She'd also gotten thinner (eight years without fast food chains can do that to you), her cheeks now nearly hollow and sunken. The area under her eyes were dark even after she put on some face powder in an effort to cover it up. She sighed solemnly. _What will he even think of me now?_

"Master Maya?" Pearl's voice broke her out of her reverie. "We're here."

Maya stared up at the gray door, a plastic sign that said "Wright Anything Agency" placed on it. _It seems like it's mocking me,_ Maya thought. _That sign used to say 'Wright & Co. Law Offices'. Everything about this place has probably changed too. _Maya sighed. _They moved on._

"Pearly, I'm not sure if this is such a good idea…" Maya hesitated.

"What? We've come this far! Do we really have to back down _now?_"

The Master sighed. Pearl was right. They didn't go through all the trouble of speaking with the Elders and a rocky two-hour train ride just to chicken out at the very last minute. _Besides, my leave has already been approved and everyone has organized a system to replace me for the next two weeks. I might as well do _something _with my vacation._

With a deep breath, Maya brought her hand up and rapped her knuckles on the door three times. She glanced nervously at Pearl, who gave her a thumbs up and an encouraging smile in return.

The door opened to reveal a smiling teenage girl wearing a magician's hat.

"Hello! Are you clients?" the girl asked.

"U-um, no, actually…" Maya began to explain. _Is this Nick's foster daughter? _"We're, um, here to see Mr. Phoenix Wright?" She flinched inwardly at the way her voice was shaking so much.

"Well, he's not home right now, but I guess I could let you in." The girl said and opened the door fully. The two spirit mediums stepped inside the room. "I'm Trucy, by the way. Trucy Wright!" She beamed at them and held out a hand.

Pearl shook her hand and smiled back. "I'm Pearl Fey, and this is my cousin Maya. Nice to meet you!"

Trucy closed the door as the two visitors took a seat on the couch. Maya took note of the different magician's items scattered all over the room. A poster of _Troupe Gramarye _hung on the wall. The shelves were lined up with law books, though most of them looked untouched and coated with a layer of dust. A framed picture of Nick and Trucy settled on the side table caught Maya's eye and made her smile. She sighed sadly, however, at how much the room had changed. _It definitely doesn't look like there's room for me now. _

Her thoughts were interrupted by the probing look on Trucy's face boring into hers. Maya stared back, not entirely sure what to do. Trucy furrowed her brows and brought her face near Maya's. She started poking Maya's cheek.

"Um…" started Maya, a little bit uncomfortable.

"Wait," Trucy began. "_You're _Maya Fey?"

Maya's eyes widened. "Uh, yeah! You know me?" Maya wanted to smack herself on the head at her ridiculous response. _This is Nick's daughter, Maya! You have to make a good impression on her!_

"Yeah, I definitely know you!" Trucy drew back with the biggest smile on her face. "Holy schmucks, you're really pretty!"

Maya's face tinged pink. "Thank you…" she trailed off. _Maya, you're an adult! Start talking like one! _After another deep breath, she smiled back at the beaming teenager. "So are you!" she said truthfully. "So, you're Ni—Mr. Wright's daughter? Wow, I can't imagine him being a dad."

Trucy giggled with delight. "Yeah, a lot of people say that about him. But I'm telling you, he really is the best dad in the world!"

"I bet he is!" said Pearl ecstatically. "So, Trucy, where _is _Mr. Nick right now?"

Trucy bounced on her heels and stared off into space as she talked. "Hmm, he's gone to the court with Polly. Apparently, he's needed at another meeting about the Jurist System."

"Well, it seems like he's really busy," Maya said, feeling guilty that she had come. "I think we came at a bad time. We should probably get going now."

"NO!" Trucy yelled, her hands held out in front of her. "Uh, I mean, please don't leave. I'm sure Daddy will be back soon."

"Yeah! Do we really have to leave _now?_" Asked Pearl with begging eyes.

"Pearly, we really shouldn't intrude on them while they're working," Maya answered, her mind reeling with the possibility that she might never see Nick again.

"Ms. Fey, please!" The two visitors looked at Trucy, shocked by the pleading tone in her voice. "Please. My daddy needs you…" Tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Trucy, don't cry!" Pearl stood up to hug her. "We're not going anywhere." She shot a glare at Maya, daring her to protest. Maya sighed in resignation.

"Fine! We're staying!"

"YAAAAAAAAY!" The two hugging girls immediately perked up and started jumping around, talking at the speed of fifty miles per hour.

"Omigosh, how long will you be staying?"

"We'll be here for two weeks,"

"Two weeks? That's more than enough time for us to be best friends!"

"Well, of course!"

Maya couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. _Well, at least Pearly's happy. Maybe this trip wasn't so bad after all._

"Ms. Fey?" Trucy called out.

"Please, just call me Maya." She smiled at the magician. "I mean, I'm not _that _old."

Trucy started talking, not sure how she should begin. "Um, Maya, not that I'm not happy that you came but… Why did you come? I mean, why now?"

Maya gulped visibly. _I'm not sure how to answer that question. 'I'm madly in love with and spent eight long years pining over your dad, dreaming he'd take me up in his arms and we'll walk happily under the sunset' doesn't sound quite right. _

"I—uh, just want to see an old friend, that's all." She hoped her smile wasn't giving away her nervousness.

Trucy hummed. "Wait here." She dashed off the room and went to what appeared to be Nick's bedroom. Pearl and Maya exchanged confused looks before Trucy walked back, holding what seemed to be a picture frame in her hands.

"This," she pointed at the picture, "—is you. Isn't it, Maya?"

The girls looked at the picture of a smiling dark-haired girl wearing pink robes and making a peace sign with her right hand. It was taken during a rather windy day at the park, the sunset being the backdrop and her long hair flying wildly behind her. She looked incredibly younger and so much happier, but there was no doubt that the girl in the picture was Maya Fey.

"That _is _Master Maya!" Pearl exclaimed with a gasp.

Trucy nodded. "Well, this picture just so happened to be conveniently perched on Daddy's bedside drawer every night for the past eight years."

Pearl gasped even louder. Maya blushed. "Uh—"

A knock on the door interrupted what Maya was going to say.

"Trucyyyy?" Maya flinched at the sound. _That's his voice. Oh my god, that's his voice! _"Trucy, can you open the door, please? Our hands are kinda full."

"Coming, Daddy!" Trucy skipped over to the front door. Maya stiffened and her heart began to drum wildly in her chest. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe calmly, but she was still a nervous wreck. She felt Pearl's hand on top of hers as a sign of comfort.

"Master Maya," she said, "Just be yourself."

_Pearly's right,_ Maya thought as she stood up and the door began to swing open. _I just have to talk to him the way I usually did all those years ago._

When the door opened, Phoenix stepped inside, a grocery bag perched precariously on his arms and blocking his eyes. Behind him, a short man with red pants held a bag of his own. The two set their bags down on the floor and stretched their backs. Maya couldn't stop staring at the taller man wearing a dark hoodie and a light blue beanie on his head.

Nick had turned his back to her while toeing off his shoes. It was short man who took notice of Maya first.

"Um… Mr. Wright? Were you expecting visitors today?"

"Huh?" Nick replied, kicking aside his shoes so they wouldn't be in the way. "No, I'm not expecting anyone. Why?" And finally, he turned around and saw the two girls who waited so long to meet him.

Nick stared at Maya, his gaze boring deep into hers. Maya, who couldn't handle its intensity, decided to look down at her feet.

"Hi, Nick…" she said softly.

—

Phoenix stared at the girl—no, _woman_ standing in front of him, trying her best to avert his gaze. He had not seen her in so long and he missed her so much and he just couldn't believe how much she's grown. Surprisingly, she was not wearing her robes. Instead she had on a yellow dress that went down to her knees. Her body had matured into a more curvy stature and her posture had the looks of an experienced and intelligent woman, one who had learned how to accept responsibility and lead a whole village of spirit mediums.

Slowly, Maya raised her head up once again and came face to face with Phoenix. He took the opportunity to study her even more. Her eyes now held more wisdom, but there was still a hint of the free-spirited nature that he loved so much about her. Her cheekbones, tinged with pink, were more prevalent now in contrast to how he last saw her. A strand of hair fell from the bun on her head and swung over her nose. _She had never looked more beautiful._

"Maya," was the only thing he could say before he took the three steps it would take to reach her and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, mumbling her name over and over again in her hair.

"Niiiiick!" Maya wrapped her arms around his waist as the tears rolled down her cheeks. A tremendous wave of relief rushed through her as he held her even closer to him, showing absolutely no signs of wanting to let go.

"Maya, I—what're you doing here?" he said when he drew back. The room suddenly felt ten degrees colder. "Wow, I'm really happy to see you."

Maya looked stern as she put on her signature frown and puffy cheeks. "You owe me eight years worth of burgers, Nick."

—

After a few pleasantries were exchanged, Phoenix, Trucy, Apollo, Maya, and Pearl were all sat around the office's sitting room. Apollo, being the least talkative one among the group, resigned to preparing some snacks for the gang. Pearl and Trucy were sitting side by side on the floor, exchanging stories about their lives while Phoenix and Maya rested on the couch, shying away from one another, but their sides touching. Phoenix had just finished telling her all about Kristoph Gavin's plot and how he got his named cleared up once again.

"Wow, Nick. So much has happened to you already." Maya said, fixing her gaze on the smiley face on Phoenix's beanie. "I'm almost ashamed to tell you about my life now. It's _extremely _boring."

Phoenix laughed and shook his head. "Oh, come on. Master of Kurain Channeling Technique? That sounds like the coolest job description ever!" He laughed even more and Maya slapped his arm playfully.

"It's noooot!" she drawled childishly, her head snapping up to the ceiling. "The Elders take all the fun out of it." She pouted her lips and huffed.

Phoenix had never seen anything more adorable.

Without thinking, he leaned into her and brought up a hand to stroke her porcelain cheek. Maya stiffened at first but slowly relaxed, closing her eyes and leaning in to his touch. She felt the corners of her lips go up into a soft smile.

The back of his hand kept stroking as it made its way down Maya's cheeks, to her jaw and then her chin. Maya felt herself being drawn in and she gave in to it completely. Their faces were only a couple of inches away from each other. Maya tried to ignore the way her stomach erupted with butterflies when his gaze fell on her lips. His hand was still on her chin as he tilted it up gently so that he could gaze fully into her eyes. They were so close. _So close_.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, guys, but here's the snacks!" Apollo's voice rang out to the room, causing Maya to instantly draw back in shock. "Man, it's a good thing we bought that cake earlier right, Mr. Wright?" He set the cake on the table and rubbed the back of his neck somewhat nervously. Phoenix did not reply. "The drinks are still in the kitchen, though I may need a little help."

"I'll do it!" Maya stood up and shot him a big smile. She made her way over to him and held out her hand. "Apollo, right?"

"Come on, Maya." Phoenix said, an edge of annoyance prevalent in his voice. "I'm sure a shorty like him could handle getting the drinks by himself."

Maya looked to Phoenix and he saw a flicker of an evil gleam in her eye. "Oh, don't be so mean to him, Nick. I think he's cute!" She leaned over at Apollo and, with a hand on his shoulder, gave him a quick peck on the cheek. She then bounced off to the direction of the kitchen.

Apollo's face heated up until it was almost the same color as the suit he was wearing. He touched a hand to his cheek and gulped. Phoenix looked at him as if he was downright ready to murder him.

"What?" Apollo spoke up. "WHAT DID I DO?"

—

It was seven o'clock in the evening when Maya and Pearl decided that they needed to go back to the hotel, the latter being very reluctant to leave. But when Maya promised that they'd be back the next day, Pearl finally agreed.

The two girls were about to walk out of the door when Phoenix stopped them.

"Let me take you to the hotel," Phoenix said shyly, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. "I-uh, it probably isn't safe for two girls to walk alone in the dark."

"Nick, it's seven pm," Maya said, giggling. "But yeah, I'd like that." Phoenix allowed himself a full smile.

The hotel was only a couple of blocks from the Wright Anything Agency, but Phoenix and Maya were not quite ready to part with one another yet. Pearl, sensing that the two needed some privacy, walked a few steps ahead of them.

"Thank you, Nick," Maya said after a few minutes of silent walking. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"What do you have to thank me for? You're the ones who came over for a visit," Phoenix replied.

Maya let out a short laugh. "True. But to be honest, I wasn't exactly in the best state when I decided to visit you."

A breeze of cool wind rushed by and Maya instinctively pressed herself closer to Phoenix's side, seeking his body warmth. Phoenix blushed but did not pull away.

"I'm really happy you came, Maya." He said, brushing the back of his hand with hers. A tingle went up her spine. "I really missed you."

"I missed you too, Nick," she said, her voice faltering. "So much." Maya felt her face warm up and tried to hide it by pressing it on Nick's arm.

They stopped when they reached the hotel's front entrance. Pearl had already ran inside so she could leave the two lovebirds alone. Maya stood in front of Phoenix and glanced at him shyly. Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck, not quite sure how to say goodbye.

Maya bit her lip and looked up at him through her eyelashes. Phoenix was, to say the least, stunned. "Walk me up to my room?" she asked. Phoenix could only nod wordlessly. "Come on, then!" Maya was back to her usual boisterous self as she grabbed his hand and led the way inside.

The pair ran across the lobby, giggling all the way like schoolchildren. _God, _Phoenix thought, _everyone must think we're a pair of idiots! _But he can't stop laughing.

When they went inside the elevator, Maya pressed the button that would lead them to 16th floor. Slowly, their laughters died down and they stood still, simply enjoying each other's company. A smile was plastered on both of their faces as they stared ahead, their hands joined together still.

All too soon, the elevator doors opened and they stepped out. They walked down a few rooms before Maya stopped in front of a door that said '1607'.

Maya turned to face her friend, trying to stop her thoughts from rushing too fast. His presence made her heartbeat quicken. The sight of his face made her nervous beyond repair. _God, I miss him._

As Phoenix stared back at the small girl, he wondered where the weak and childish Maya had gone. The girl he is looking at right now held only small traces of her, but he was glad at how she matured. Before he knew it, he found himself leaning in. The urge to breathe in her distinct scent became stronger as he allowed his thoughts to simply revolve around her.

Maya, seeing Phoenix leaning in, could only look back in shock. _He's so close again. Why is this happening a lot lately? _She closed her eyes momentarily, basking in the scent of his perfume. When she opened them again, she found that his nose was now touching hers.

_"Maya…" _He let out a soft whisper, his breath mingling with hers. Thousands of emotions swept through him at once. He was grateful—_so grateful_ that she was back in his arms where she belonged. He brought his hands up to cup her flushed cheeks, feeling the need to draw her closer. He needed more of this—needed more of _her. _In that moment, _she _was his world. _She _was his anchor. He couldn't find it in himself to pull away.

Maya closed her eyes, succumbing to the implications of their proximity. She started to breathe through her mouth just so she could feel her breath warming up with his. She put her arms around his neck, playing with the hair at his nape and drawing him impossibly closer.

Phoenix stared longingly at his Maya. _Nothing in this world could be so beautiful_. His hands slid down to her chin, thumbs making featherlight strokes on her plush bottom lip. He craved her warmth like nothing else in the world.

"Nick…?" her soft voice came out, so sweet and innocent. That did it for him.

"I already lost you once," he said, barely above a whisper. "I swear to God, I am never letting you go again." Maya let out a surprised squeak as Phoenix crushed his lips to hers.

At the touch of their lips, everything flew out of the window—her worries, her insecurities, her hopes and her dreams. All that mattered was that at the moment, everything was right with the world.

Phoenix felt her sigh against his lips and he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. His one hand remained stroking her cheek while the other one slid down to her waist, holding her firmly against him. Maya kissed back fervently, the blush never quite leaving her face.

_Is this all a dream? Please let this not be a dream_.

Maya felt Phoenix's hot tongue probing gently at her bottom lip. _Nope! Definitely not a dream. _Phoenix swiped his tongue quickly across her lip, teasing her. Maya opened her mouth to grant him entrance.

They stood like that for several minutes, just kissing and clinging onto each other as if they were trying to make up for the lost time. The two lost souls, coming to find one another again.

Maya felt tears prickle her eyes and she started sobbing. Phoenix pulled away, a look of panic written across his face.

"Maya, what's wrong? Did I go too far? What did I do?"

Maya felt a smile creep onto her face as she continued sobbing. "You didn't do anything wrong, you idiot!" She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "You just make me so damn happy. It's not fair!"

Phoenix took both of her hands in his and gave her a gentle smile. "Maya, I was _lost_ without you. God, if only you had any idea how lonely I was during the time we were apart. I probably wouldn't even be alive today if it weren't for Trucy."

"Just… Thank you, Nick. Really. For everything." Maya tried to explain her extreme emotions for this man, but it proved to be quite difficult.

Phoenix laughed in response, taking Maya's face in his hands once again. He looked into her eyes, confusion written clearly on them, and laughed even more.

"What's so funny?" She demanded.

Phoenix took a few more moments to calm down before he smiled at her with the gentlest look his eyes can convey. "I am completely and utterly in love with you, Maya Fey."

Maya felt her insides turn to goo as she pulled him back in for another kiss.


End file.
